Dignity Health Sequoia Hospital’s Heart and Vascular Institute announced today it has entered into an affiliation with the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute.

This affiliation is the first of its kind in Northern California.

The announcement follows Sequoia Hospital’s recent recognition by Healthgrades as one of America’s 100 Best hospitals for cardiac care. Cardiac care at Sequoia Hospital has been recognized by Healthgrades for 10 years in a row. According to The Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Database, the risk-adjusted survival rates in heart surgery achieved by physicians practicing at Sequoia are among the very best in the nation and have been for more than two decades.

Under the Sequoia Hospital-Cleveland Clinic affiliation, the two organizations have agreed to share best practices related to patient care, outcomes measurement, quality reporting and clinical research. Physician teams from both institutions will work together to accelerate improvements in heart care and research, to support even greater outcomes and ever more effective clinical protocols. This collaborative exchange among leading heart care providers means that patients at Sequoia will benefit from an exceptional and unmatched level of heart and vascular care.

“We have worked hard to establish our Heart and Vascular Institute as a center of excellence, with the most experienced physicians, nurses and support staff,” said Glenna Vaskelis, Sequoia Hospital president. “I am very proud of the dedication and commitment demonstrated by our clinicians and associates that have made us a Northern California leader in heart care. Through this new collaboration we look forward to building on our record of excellence and to bringing the future of heart and vascular care to those we serve.”

“Thanks to our highly qualified physicians at the Heart and Vascular Institute and the excellence of the Sequoia Hospital staff, we have a well-earned reputation for innovation and outstanding outcomes in cardiac care,” said Luis Castro, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon and the hospital’s director of cardiac surgery. “This affilation with Cleveland Clinic, the nation’s top heart program, is a logical next step for Sequoia and, most importantly, will mean a great deal to the communities, patients and families we serve.”

“Treating patients with cardiovascular disease is complex, and as new techniques and technologies come to the forefront it’s important to deliver these new innovations quickly to patients.” said Joseph Cacchione, MD, cardiologist and chairman of operations and strategy at Cleveland Clinic’s Heart & Vascular Institute. “This affiliation with Sequoia Hospital will help to meet that goal in the San Francisco Bay Area.”

# # #About Sequoia HospitalDignity Health Sequoia Hospital is an accredited, not-for-profit community hospital providing innovative and exceptional health care for generations of Bay Area residents. The hospital has been voted “A Family Favorite Best Birth Center and Best Hospital” by readers of Bay Area Parent magazine for five consecutive years. Sequoia’s Heart and Vascular Institute is a nationally known pioneer in advanced cardiac care. In 2015, Sequoia was recognized by Healthgrades as one of America’s 100 Best hospitals for cardiac care and received the American Heart Association’s Get with the Guidelines Silver Award for stroke care. Sequoia Hospital’s new Pavilion opened to patients in October 2014. With the addition of the new Pavilion, Sequoia is one of the most advanced health care facilities in the Bay Area. Learn more at www.sequoiahospital.org.

Sequoia Hospital’s Heart and Vascular InstituteThe world class cardiovascular physicians at Sequoia Hospital’s Heart and Vascular Institute treat some of the most complex cardiac cases in California and produce some of the nation’s best outcomes. Sequoia Hospital has ranked among the nation’s leading providers of cardiovascular care for over three decades. In 2014 and 2015, Sequoia Hospital was recognized by Healthgrades as one of America’s 100 Best hospitals for cardiac care. Learn more at www.sequoiahearts.org.

About Cleveland ClinicCleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. U.S.News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation’s best hospitals in its annual “America’s Best Hospitals” survey. More than 3,000 full-time salaried physicians and researchers and 11,000 nurses represent 120 medical specialties and subspecialties. The Cleveland Clinic health system includes a main campus near downtown Cleveland, eight community hospitals, more than 75 Northern Ohio outpatient locations, including 16 full-service Family Health Centers, Cleveland Clinic Florida, the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, Cleveland Clinic Canada, and, scheduled to begin seeing patients in 2015, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. In 2013, there were 5.5 million outpatient visits throughout the Cleveland Clinic health system and 157,000 hospital admissions. Patients came for treatment from every state and from more than 130 countries. Visit us at www.clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at www.twitter.com/ClevelandClinic.